Highlight: Scored a brace on debut for the Wanderers first team in the FFA Cup match against Wellington Phoenix.

Highlight: He scored a goal in the A-League, Asian Champions League & FFA Cup in the 2016/17 season.

Description: A young striker who made a name for himself after winning the Wanderers Youth League Player of the Year for 2015/16, as well as scoring 5 goals in the Wanderers NPL debut against Spirit FC. His entry to top flight football was a good one, with a decent return of 5 goals in 22 appearances across all competitions in 2016/17. The arrival of Oriol Riera and the good health of Brendon Santalab restricted Scott's first team opportunity in 2017/18, he played just 6 games and failed to score, although he did perform well in the Youth League & NPL 2. In his last year at the club he fell out of favour, did not play a game in the 18/19 season and was released in February 2019.

Years of relentless hard work, commitment and sacrifice were finally rewarded when Tony Popovic told the Wollongong-born forward he was to be a part of the AFC Champions League-winning managersâ€™ plans for the 2016/17 Hyundai A-League season.

Cue sheer euphoria for Scott. Itâ€™s a moment that countless young footballers and indeed aspiring athletes dedicate their entire lives working towards, but one that will never arrive for most. The baby-faced marksman is still coming to terms with his journey from Balgownie Rangers junior to first-team Western Sydney Wanderer.

â€œI didnâ€™t look too far into the future when I first joinedâ€, Scott admits.

â€œI just wanted to come in, play my normal game, try as hard as I could at training and keep improving.â€

Popovic broke the news to Scott at Wanderers headquarters in mid-May.

â€œI was at training and a few of the boys were there because everyone was having a meeting with Popa. He told me the news: it was the biggest moment of my life.

â€œI came out unbelievably happy and all of the boys congratulated me. Then I got in my car and rang my dad.â€

Itâ€™s often said you have the world at your feet as a young footballer but the reality is one of uncertainty, setbacks and baby-steps. Taking chances when they come is one of footballâ€™s golden and most universal decrees, and Scott has taken his with impressive aplomb.

Finishing as the clubâ€™s equal top goal scorer in the 2015/16 Foxtel National Youth League season, Scott was awarded Wanderers Youth Player of the Year, scored 15 goals in 13 PS4 National Premier League appearances, and raised eyebrows when he trained with the first-team at the back end of last Hyundai A-League campaign.

Talk about making a good first impression â€“ for good measure, heâ€™s even been compared to Tottenham Hotspur figurehead Harry Kane.

Scott thinks the innocuous contrasts are â€œpretty funnyâ€ but recognises that they represent a significant new chapter in his career. The strikerâ€™s name is now firmly under the microscope of the mainstream and every moment he spends on the pitch next season will be subject to the expectations of the masses.

â€œI guess heâ€™s a good player for me to emulateâ€, Scott laughs.

â€œHe scores goals, heâ€™s hard working and he does play a similar game to me.â€

If heâ€™s not riding it already, Scott will quickly find himself on the crest of the tidal wave of hype that typically accompanies the rise of a promising young talent.

And the excitement to catch a glimpse of the newest kid on the Red & Black block will likely be amplified when the new season resumes. Alongside mercurial playmaker and former terrace regular Mario Shabow, Scott arrives into the Wanderers first grade picture as the very first product from the recently established Wanderers academy.

That in itself is likely to be a particularly unwelcome monkey on the back of Scott but he says heâ€™s relishing the pressure.

â€œI like the pressure, Iâ€™ve always been good with it,â€ said Scott.

â€œThereâ€™s always going to be pressure in football, youâ€™ve got to accept it and take that pressure on and use it to perform to your best.â€

It should come as no surprise that Scott attracted the eye of the Wanderers hierarchy with this kind of elite temperament. The more he speaks about his desire to get on the field, the more it seems he has the rigorous hunger required for top flight football and the hallowed winning mentality required for Popovicâ€™s team.

Even before his eventual signing, there were inklings of Scottâ€™s quality and he sent a ripple of excitement through the Wanderers fanbase when he was pictured training with the first team at the back end of last season. It was a fantastic learning experience for the player.

â€œI was nervous at the start but that went the more I trained and worked with the first team, theyâ€™re all great people and theyâ€™ve already made me a better player.

â€œPopa gave me tips, little â€˜in the momentâ€™ things that I need to do â€“ stuff like moving my feet, my body positioning, the way I approach the ball.

â€œItâ€™s these little things that will make it easier to keep the ball in the Hyundai A-League.â€

Scott is enjoying a long-overdue rest having essentially played non-stop for the last 12 months. In what is a bittersweet outcome for both club and player, he wonâ€™t feature again in the charge towards NPL promotion. All that remains now is to begin the nervous, exciting wait for pre-season.

â€œThe nerves are always going to be there but with all the training Iâ€™ve been doing and all the training I will do in pre-season itâ€™ll be exciting and Iâ€™m sure when I get the chance Iâ€™ll be ready.â€

Although Popovic hasnâ€™t revealed his plans to Scott yet, the striker is focussed on working hard remaining patient. He knows next campaign will likely be a waiting game but heâ€™s determined to take another chance and prolong his time in Western Sydney a little longer.

â€œI want to be on the field and if I do get on, score some goals because thatâ€™s my job.

â€œHopefully I can earn another stay â€“ but that will only come with playing minutes, working hard and proving myself at Hyundai A-League level.â€

Along with teammate Mario Shabow, Lachlan Scott was the first player to sign a senior contract from the new Wanderers Academy. You can watch the Academy in action this Saturday at Blacktown Football Park as they take on Mt Druitt Town Rangers. The top-of-the-table NPL team kicks-off at 7pm.

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good on him, a great debut, but lets not put too much pressure on the kid, lets hope he stays fit, gets on the park and plays well

Same time last year Gol Gol superstar was born - t lasted about 5 minutes.

It's unrealistic to expect newly promoted players to bring home the bacon. We still need a solid, mature, proven goal scorer. Someone who doesn't have to learn how to get the better of Jurman or North, but has the experience to give them a run for their money.